ALLENTOWN, Pa. — An Allentown woman was sentenced to 10 to 20 years in state prison for her part in a deadly armed robbery in October 2020 on the Hamilton Street bridge.
Latasha Santiago, 36, pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy to
commit robbery, a first-degree felony, in the Oct. 17, 2020, shooting death of Christian Lopez-Rodriguez, 21, of Allentown.
Her sentence was the maximum she faced for the charges.
Police found Lopez-Rodriguez with a gunshot wound to his abdomen and took him to an area hospital, where he died. The Lehigh County coroner ruled his death a homicide.Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan
Jose Santiago, 42, last month in Lehigh County Court pleaded guilty to murder and conspiracy to commit robbery in the incident.
He is scheduled to be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. June 16 before county Judge Anna-Kristie M. Marks and faces 30 to 60 years in prison.
Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan said Latasha Santiago on Tuesday was sentenced by Marks.
Police said that about 3:25 p.m. Oct. 17, 2020, they were called to the 100 block of East Hamilton Street at the bridge for a report of a man who was shot.
A person who called 911said that after the shooting, the suspect jumped over the side of the bridge and got into a gold vehicle driven by Latasha Santiago.
Police found Lopez-Rodriguez with a gunshot wound to his
abdomen and took him to an area hospital, where he died. The Lehigh County coroner ruled his death a homicide.
Police: Robbery ended in shootings
Officers on scene spoke to a victim who was walking with Lopez-Rodriguez at the time of the shooting. Holihan said that victim’s name will not be released.
That victim told police they were walking eastbound across the Hamilton Street bridge when Jose Santiago approached them and showed a handgun and told them to “run their pockets.”
A witness said he handed Santiago his wallet containing $181.50 and during the robbery, Lopez-Rodriguez punched Santiago, who then opened fire and shot Lopez-Rodriguez.Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan
The victim said he handed Santiago his wallet containing $181.50 and during the robbery, Lopez-Rodriguez punched Santiago, who then opened fire and shot Lopez-Rodriguez.
The victim told police he pulled out his own handgun and shot Santiago before Santiago fled. While fleeing, Santiago shot at the victim, as well, police said.
Several minutes after the shooting, Santiago walked into a local hospital with a gunshot wound to his leg. He was accompanied by Latasha Santiago.
While at the hospital, Santiago turned over a handgun.
A witness observed the shooting and saw Santiago fire a gun and then jump over the bridge into the waiting vehicle parked under the bridge.
Video surveillance also was recovered from the Hamilton Street bridge that showed the robbery and killing.
Santiago’s gun and recovered ballistic evidence was analyzed by the Lehigh County Firearm and Tool Mark Laboratory, and Detective Mark Garrett determined they were used to kill the victim.
This case was investigated by Allentown Police Detective Harold Bonser and Detective Timothy Salgado of the Lehigh County Homicide Task Force and is prosecuted by First Assistant District Attorney Eric Dowdle and Senior Deputy District Attorney Gregory Englert.
